December topic discussed in ASQ blog expressed a question: Is quality ambitious enough?
Bill Troy, ASQ CEO, shared an article by Brooks Carder where he pointed out that “we (quality professionals) have all gone through some kind of conversion. We know in our hearts we can help make this world work better. We don’t need to be over-the-top, but we should have the confidence to tell our story, understand our own value, and inspire others. But how? How do we encourage those who work in quality to understand their own value? (Beyond the perception of ourselves as “nerd engineers,” as referenced in Brooks’ piece.) How do we spread the message of quality in a marketplace overflowing with ideas about how to boost profitability and ever-changing management trends?”
We, quality professionals, know that our job is not easy; we are almost always the “bad people“, “the ones who make everybody work in something nobody seems to care“, etc. and etc. Dealing with people who don’t really know the value of our job, make it harder, and make us lose our focus: the company success. Sometimes, it gets exhausting and makes us reach a point when we stop being ambitious and just rely on “this is my job, I get paid and that is it.”
However –in my opinion-, those who rely on that is because, in the deep, they are not passionate about quality. And that applies to every position / job / activity you do.
I’m a believer that being ambitious and following your passion, will get you to the point of success and happiness, no matter how hard or exhausting your job is.
Let’s clarify this, ambition doesn’t mean “I want more money” (I think that is secondary), it means “a strong desire to do or to achieve success, that requires determination and hard work”. And that goes hand to hand with your passion.
I’ve read quotes, and even books, that say: “Don’t do what you love. Learn to love what you do. Be patient. Passion comes with mastery and time” and I know some people believe in it, and of course I respect that. Struggling with the economy this days is difficult and more percentage of people than we think are working in jobs they don’t like, but they have to. So trying to love what they do is, at first sight, a solution (?) that makes them think “there is no other way”. But if you consider that state as a transition period toward your passion, you will see a big difference in your attitude.
Ask yourself: what is that tickle thing inside you that motivates you to jump out of bed in the morning; that thing that keeps you going and going and going, even when everything seems to push you back? There is no easy or predictable way to success, but if you follow your passion by being ambitious, you will get there. See the image bellow, it summarized what I said. I love it!
To finish, some phrases of renowned people, to keep thinking that putting your passion upfront will make the difference:
“People with passion can change the world for the better… The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” ~ Steve Jobs
“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” ~ Harriet Tubman
“I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.” ~ Albert Einstein
“Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. Because it’s only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential.” ~ Barack Obama
I would love to hear your thoughts!
